Smudge wrote:

The trick isn't finding stuff to watch; It's in finding the occasional gems which lurk in the matrix of mediocrity.

Have you found Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries? There's three seasons on Netflix. It's an Australian production. My sister turned me on to the books (which are a good deal racier) but I thoroughly enjoyed this series. You might, too, if you're a mystery buff.

Thanks for the tip, George. I've twice started the series, and gotten two or three episodes in, and then lost interest. I'm not sure what puts me off, but something does. I will say that there are very few Australian productions which I've enjoyed. There's something in their aesthetic which I find jarring, I think. But thanks for the tip anyway.

Let me give you a gift. Here's a site which I stumbled on a couple of years ago, and, well...if it were a book, the pages would be falling out. I've utilized it that much. I've been tempted to write the site owner just to let him know how much benefit I've received as a result of his efforts. He really has done a spectacular job of pulling a half century's worth of crime drama into a single spot.

That's a best single source or catalog of British detective (and all of the related genres) that I've ever discovered, and I've probably seen at least a couple of episodes of between 80-90 percent of the shows, and in many cases, I've watched the whole run. I hope you are able to get some use out of it (and, obviously, everyone else who reads this as well).

I started "Taboo" last night and watched a couple of episodes; excellent cast, and an interesting dramatic setup which should allow for the story to fork out in numerous directions. Top notch production values throughout, and the cast includes Oona Chaplin (Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter) who's always interesting to watch. Too bad there are only eight episodes, but they have already committed to a second season. I have no problem recommending this, based on what I've seen so far:

Edit: I've finished the series. I double down on my recommendation. Excellent production values throughout; and superb acting across the board. The show's VERY dark (incest, cannibalism and mass murder of slaves are just a few of the topics engaged) so it won't be for everyone. But I found it to be exciting and captivating. I eagerly await the second season.

This only ran for one season, so it obviously didn't grab the public's imagination. But I found it to be an absolutely riveting spy drama. If you like the genre, check out Rubicon. Top of the stack production values throughout the series:

I watched the last episode of season two of Billions this evening. I'd have a hard time deciding if I like Billions or Mr. Robot as the best new series of the last couple years. Luckily for me, I can watch them both. If you haven't caught Billions yet, you owe it to yourself. It's a masterpiece of a show.

I have now watched seasons one and two of Fargo in their entirety, and have started watching season three. It's a very well done TV program, based on the very well done Coen Brother's film of the same name.

I was curious about a plot aspect of season two (won't say what, because spoilers, but it involves something overhead in the sky during several scenes) and I learned that NONE of the stories are actually based on real crimes.

Maybe this is well known to others, and I'm just slow to get the message, but I feel like a guy who's just learned that there is no Santa Clause. If you weren't aware about Santa being fake, sorry to have spoiled it for you.

Emmeran wrote:

I'm more interested in what you're reading.

And you are looking for this in a thread titled "What Are You Watching?"

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I can't remember the last time I picked up and read an actual physical book (you know, made of pulp, with covers, etc.). I had a job where I drove a lot for a while, and I listened to audio books while I drove. I used to muse to myself about whether there is something special about running your eyes over the words on a page, or whether listening to them was just as good. And is it okay to say "I read that," when you, in fact, only listened to it? I never came to any firm conclusions on those philosophical points. But I absorbed hundreds of books in that fashion.

The last book I can remember reading in physical form was "Guns, Germs and Steel", which I've read several times, and which I originally received as a gift. It broadly explores the questions of why Europeans were the first of earth's many populations to gain enough advantage over everyone else that they could colonize the world. The answer, if I were to sum it up in my own words, was "geography becomes destiny". Not all land masses are equal, and it's not even close.

Most of the books I read/listened to were mysteries and spy novels. Most complex topics, unless I found them personally fascinating and gripping, were simply too hard to follow, integrate and remember, with some large part of my mind focused on driving. But I did enjoy a number of scholastic oriented "books" which were actually the lectures from college courses recorded and bundled into an audio book format (The Great Learning Series, or something like that. I found an open directory that had hundreds of courses, and I listened to lots of them until one day it suddenly shut down). The one which I enjoyed the most was about the history of the English language. There was another where a prize winning physicist explained what we knew about energy, and solar, and global warming, and I found it to be as interesting or thrilling as any mystery.

I took in all of Agatha Christie's mysteries, and all of Rex Stout's. I "read" every single John LeCarre novel (although many of those I own in book form as well). Robert Ludlum, Daniel Silve, Graham Greene, etc.

I read more these days than I have ever done at any time in the past I'm quite sure, but it is done almost entirely on line. I suspect I spend eight hours a day or more reading. I am a generalist by nature, so my subject matter covers the range. I realize I'm opening myself up to criticism here, because, if I read that much I have no legitimate excuse for my ignorance. All I can say is "You have no idea where I was when I started, so you can't see the progress."

Smudge wrote:

I have now watched seasons one and two of Fargo in their entirety, and have started watching season three. It's a very well done TV program, based on the very well done Coen Brother's film of the same name.

I was curious about a plot aspect of season two (won't say what, because spoilers, but it involves something overhead in the sky during several scenes) and I learned that NONE of the stories are actually based on real crimes.

Maybe this is well known to others, and I'm just slow to get the message, but I feel like a guy who's just learned that there is no Santa Clause. If you weren't aware about Santa being fake, sorry to have spoiled it for you.

Baywolfe wrote:

Smudge wrote:

Maybe this is well known to others, and I'm just slow to get the message, but I feel like a guy who's just learned that there is no Santa Clause. If you weren't aware about Santa being fake, sorry to have spoiled it for you.

There was a lady from China, I believe, that froze to death looking for the money from the original film. Quite excellent that they tied that money to the TV series.

Kumiko, the Treasure HunterKumiko is a Japanese office lady. She's a bit off. She is obsessed with the film Fargo, and watches it over and over to get clues for finding the film's treasure. She needles points a treasure map based on her findings and heads to the upper mid west. Even though Kumiko is presented as a documentary, it probably not as accurate as the film makers claim. I thought it was a decent film, and I have seen it a couple of times.

Smudge wrote:

Baywolfe wrote:

There was a lady from China, I believe, that froze to death looking for the money from the original film. Quite excellent that they tied that money to the TV series.

Yes. I thought that was a nice touch too. And it also explained another mystery; why the guy had a framed ice scraper on his wall.

The references between various episodes and the original film were many. I'm sure I spotted at least a dozen, many of them quite subtle.

There are overlaps of characters between series; there were quite a few from S1 in S2. (Side note: I have never loved Ted Danson more.) A S1 character just showed up in S3 a few weeks ago, and has become an integral part of the plot.

George Orr wrote:

choad wrote:

George Orr wrote:

A S1 character just showed up in S3 a few weeks ago, and has become an integral part of the plot.

He's easy to miss without the chainsaw.

I have racked my brain, but I'll be damned if I can remember anybody with a chainsaw in season one. I've only watched four episodes of season three, so I don't think I've seen the mystery player yet, but maybe...

Okay, I finished season 3 of Fargo, and now I have to admit I'm a solid and committed fan. Count me among the group that's lobbying for a season 4.

Season 3 was my favorite of the bunch. The Coen Brothers influence (subtle in the first couple of seasons) was clearly visible in season 3. I expect that there were numerous Old Testament references and allusions which I missed because I lack the requisite knowledge. Did everyone here see "A Serious Man".

I can't be alone in noticing that the scene in the bowling alley (the guy with the kitten) was an homage to a very similar scene from The Big Lebowski?

Baywolfe wrote:

I started this last night. Wow...what an opening act.

I think I'll watch pretty much anything that has Ian McShane in it. Which reminds me, speaking of Ian McShane, if you haven't already seen "Deadwood" its unquestionably one the top ten television series of all time -- up there with Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Sopranos, etc. You owe it to yourself...